Set Up API Keys in Hermes Agent

Adding API keys to Hermes Agent lets it authenticate with supported AI providers and other services that require a secret token. You’ll need an account with the provider you want to use, a key created there, and access to the machine or environment where Hermes Agent runs.

What You’ll Need

• Hermes Agent installed and a way to open its terminal, deployment settings, or configuration files.
• An API key issued by the provider you intend to connect. The provider’s dashboard is the source of truth for its key format and setup requirements.
• Permission to edit the environment variables or configuration used by the Hermes Agent process.

Step-by-Step

1. Identify the provider and the running environment. Check which model or service Hermes Agent is expected to use, and where the agent is running: on your computer, in a container, on a server, or through a hosting platform. The key must be available to the same process that runs Hermes Agent; adding it to a different shell or account may not work.
2. Create a key in the provider’s account. Sign in to the provider’s official dashboard, find its API key or developer settings, and create a key for the intended service. Follow any project, access, or billing requirements shown there. Copy the key when it is displayed, and store it temporarily in a password manager or another private location. Do not paste it into a public issue, chat, source repository, or screenshot.
3. Check Hermes Agent’s current configuration instructions. Consult the documentation or setup interface for the exact provider name, environment-variable name, and configuration method used by your Hermes Agent installation. These details can differ by provider and release. Do not guess a variable name based on another agent or copy a command from an unrelated guide. If Hermes offers a provider-selection or onboarding prompt, use the option that matches your provider.
4. Set the key using the method for your installation. Use one of the applicable approaches below, following the names and syntax documented for your setup:
   • Interactive setup: If the Hermes Agent setup flow asks for a provider key, choose the provider and enter the key into the designated secret field. Check that the selected provider is the one associated with the key.
   • Environment variable: Set the documented variable in the environment that launches Hermes Agent. For a temporary test in a Unix-like shell, the general pattern is export VARIABLE_NAME='your-key'; replace the placeholder with the exact variable name and key. This only affects that shell and child processes. For a persistent setup, use the environment-variable settings for your operating system, service manager, container, or hosting platform instead.
   • Configuration file: If the documentation supports a config file, use its specified path and format. Put the key in the documented secret field, restrict access to the file where possible, and ensure it is excluded from version control. Avoid creating a new file or field unless the instructions call for it.
5. Keep the secret out of logs and code. Avoid putting a real key directly into a command that may be saved in shell history, a script, a notebook, or a checked-in configuration file. Prefer a secret manager or protected environment settings when available. Never add a key to a client-side app or web page that users can inspect.
6. Restart or reload Hermes Agent. Many applications read environment variables and configuration only at startup. Stop and relaunch the agent, or use its documented reload method. If it runs as a service or container, update the environment in that service or container and recreate or restart it as appropriate; changing a variable in your login shell alone will not update an already-running process.
7. Test with a small request. Use Hermes Agent’s normal health check, provider test, or a simple supported request. Confirm that it connects and returns a response. Check the agent’s logs for a clear authentication or configuration error, but do not share logs publicly until you have checked that they do not contain credentials.
8. Record and maintain the setup safely. Document which provider and configuration location are in use without recording the key itself. If the key is exposed or no longer needed, revoke it through the provider’s dashboard and replace it with a new one. Update the environment or secret store, then restart and test the agent again.

Common Mistakes

• Using the wrong variable name: Providers and integrations may expect different names. Use Hermes Agent’s instructions for the selected provider, not an assumed universal name.
• Setting the key in the wrong place: A key exported in one terminal is not automatically available to a service launched elsewhere, a container, or another user account.
• Forgetting to restart: A running process may retain its old environment until restarted or reloaded.
• Including extra characters: A copied key may contain a leading or trailing space, or quotes may be included when the configuration format does not expect them. Match the documented syntax.
• Committing secrets: A key in a Git repository remains exposed even if it is later deleted from the latest version. Revoke exposed keys; removing the text alone is not enough.
• Confusing credentials: A website password, account login token, or key for a different provider may not authenticate API requests.

Tips

• Use separate keys for separate environments or applications when the provider supports it, so one can be revoked without disrupting everything.
• Grant only the permissions the agent needs. Follow the provider’s available access controls and key-management guidance.
• Use a secret manager or hosting platform’s protected secret settings for persistent deployments. Limit who can view or edit those settings.
• Keep the provider name and key location in your deployment notes, but never include the credential value.
• Check usage and access through the provider’s own dashboard if available. Rotate a key if you suspect it has been exposed.

Troubleshooting

If Hermes Agent reports an authentication failure, first verify that the key is active, belongs to the selected provider, and has the required access. Then check for a typo, accidental whitespace, or a mismatched configuration field. Re-enter the key using the documented method and restart the agent.

If the key appears correct but Hermes Agent says it is missing, check the environment of the actual running process. For a service, inspect the service’s configured environment; for a container, check the container’s secret or environment settings; for a hosted deployment, check its deployment settings. Confirm the variable name exactly, including capitalization, and redeploy or restart after changing it.

If authentication succeeds but requests still fail, the issue may be provider selection, model availability, permissions, account limits, or network access rather than the key itself. Read the complete error locally, consult the provider’s current status and documentation, and avoid repeatedly printing or pasting the secret while debugging. If you cannot establish which configuration Hermes Agent uses, check the documentation for your installed version or ask the project’s support community with the key removed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do I get an API key?
Get it from the official dashboard of the provider Hermes Agent will connect to. Hermes Agent itself cannot issue a provider’s key.

Can I use the same key on my computer and server?
You may be able to, but separate keys are easier to manage and revoke. Follow the provider’s terms and access controls.

Does Hermes Agent read a key from a particular environment variable?
That depends on the provider integration and installation. Check the documentation for your setup and use its exact variable name.

Why does the key work in my terminal but not in Hermes Agent?
The agent may run under a different user, service, container, or hosting environment. Set the secret where that process can access it, then restart it.

Is it safe to put an API key in a configuration file?
Only if that method is supported and the file is protected and excluded from version control. A secret manager or protected environment setting is usually preferable for deployments.

What should I do if I accidentally exposed the key?
Revoke it in the provider’s dashboard immediately, create a replacement, update Hermes Agent’s secret setting, and restart and test the agent.

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